Effect of multiple rules of the road at different elevation profiles on speed constraints and fuel consumption

Abstract

This invention involves the effect of multiple rules of the road at different elevation profiles on the speed constraints and therefore the overall fuel efficiency. A vehicle designed to optimize fuel consumption that is comprised of the rules of the road that determine maximum speed, minimum speed, stop signs, streetlights, and/or changes in other rules that determine the allowable speeds of the road, a localization mechanism, and an optimization engine to optimize the fuel economy by selecting a speed profile within that maintains the vehicle within the assigned range of speeds and minimizes fuel consumption. A wide variety of methods that typically are used to optimize the fuel efficiency of human drivers operating standard vehicles can also be applied towards autonomous vehicles driving at different speed constraints and with different changes in the elevation.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A vehicle designed to optimize fuel consumption, comprising:
 an optimization engine configured to optimize a fuel economy of a vehicle by selecting a speed profile within that maintains the vehicle within an assigned range of speeds and minimizes fuel consumption, the optimization engine configured to:
 a. detect a first location of the vehicle via a localization mechanism; 
 b. receive a destination for the vehicle; 
 c. compute a first route from the first location to a destination; 
 d. compute a second route from the first location to the destination, wherein the second route differs from the first route; 
 e. compute a first total fuel consumption of the vehicle on the first route; 
 f. compute a second total fuel consumption of the vehicle on the second route; 
 g. compare the first total fuel consumption and the second total fuel consumption and choose one of the first route and the second route based on the associated first and second total fuel consumption; 
 h. change the throttle setting to move the vehicle along the chosen first route or second route; 
 i. detect a second location of the vehicle via the localization mechanism; 
 j. compute a third route from the second location to a destination; 
 k. compute a fourth route from the second location to the destination, wherein the fourth route differs from the first route; 
 l. compute a third total fuel consumption of the vehicle on the third route; 
 m. compute a fourth total fuel consumption of the vehicle on the fourth route; 
 n. compare the third total fuel consumption and the fourth total fuel consumption and choose one of the third route and the fourth route based on the associated third and fourth total fuel consumption; 
 o. change the throttle setting to adjust the acceleration profile based on the chosen third route or fourth route. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein computing the first total fuel consumption comprises computing fuel consumption associated with slowing the vehicle based on the switching times of a streetlight. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , where the timing of the lights is stored and utilized in computing the first total fuel consumption. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1  wherein the vehicle senses a change in a posted speed limit and changes the throttle setting to a required speed before the vehicle reaches the Previously Presented speed zone. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  wherein the results of optimization are stored in an optimization table. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein a range of speeds is assigned as a desired speed based on a range of allowable deviation provided to the optimizer. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  wherein the optimization engine displays predicted fuel expenditures along the first route and the second route before driving starts. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1  wherein the optimization engine changes a shifting points between adjacent gears of the transmission based on the speed profile computed. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1  wherein the optimization engine receives from an operator an arrival time, and the optimization engine optimizes speed to arrive at the destination before the set arrival time. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first route and the second route follow the same path, and at least one of speed and acceleration are different. 
     
     
       11. A method of optimizing fuel usage of a vehicle comprising:
 providing an optimization engine on a vehicle and operable to control at least one of a throttle, a steering mechanism, and a braking mechanism of the vehicle; 
 a. detecting a first location of the vehicle via a localization mechanism; 
 b. receiving a destination for the vehicle; 
 c. computing a first route from the first location to a destination; 
 d. computing a second route from the first location to the destination, wherein the second route differs from the first route; 
 e. computing a first total fuel consumption of the vehicle on the first route; 
 f. computing a second total fuel consumption of the vehicle on the second route; 
 g. comparing the first total fuel consumption and the second total fuel consumption and choose one of the first route and the second route based on the associated first and second total fuel consumption; 
 h. changing the throttle setting to move the vehicle along the chosen first route or second route; 
 i. detecting a second location of the vehicle via the localization mechanism; 
 j. computing a third route from the second location to a destination; 
 k. computing a fourth route from the second location to the destination, wherein the fourth route differs from the first route; 
 l. computing a third total fuel consumption of the vehicle on the third route; 
 m. computing a fourth total fuel consumption of the vehicle on the fourth route; 
 n. comparing the third total fuel consumption and the fourth total fuel consumption and choose one of the third route and the fourth route based on the associated third and fourth total fuel consumption; 
 o. changing the throttle setting to adjust the acceleration profile based on the chosen third route or fourth route.